Tourism has been among the worst-hit economic sectors during the Covid-19 pandemic, and Sarawak’s Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister, Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, aims to lead the industry back to recovery. Abdul Karim said among his goals was to promote and develop tourism, arts and culture of Sarawak as major socio-economic activities set to generate revenues for the state.

“At the same time, it is also to preserve our unique culture and heritage, in line with the Sarawak Post Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030,” he added.

“As we prepare to move from the pandemic to endemic phase of Covid-19, my ministry and our agencies will continue implementing the short-term measures towards the recovery of the tourism, arts and culture industry.”

Some of the initiatives launched this year include ‘Sia Sitok Plus’ in partnership with Malaysia Airlines, discounted domestic travel programmes under ‘Sia Sitok 3.0’ campaign, and also the ‘Sia Sitok Accommodation 2.0 Staycation’ campaign.

Abdul Karim also said his ministry had conducted its annual ‘Strategic Planning Retreat’ from Jan 21 to 22 this year to recap its performance throughout 2021, and evaluate its opportunities, achievements and weaknesses so that it could further improve this year.

On Feb 22, a Sarawak Tourism Steering Committee (STSC) meeting was called to update government agencies and those from the tourism, arts and culture industry ‘on the way forward’ for this year.

Three Sarawak Tourism Coordination Committee (STCC) meetings, to be chaired by his deputy ministers Dato Sebastian Ting and Datuk Snowdan Lawan, would be held to follow up on the initiative proposed in the STSC meeting.

“I also led a Sarawak delegation attending the Malaysia Day at Expo 2020 Dubai back in January this year.

“Expo 2020 Dubai was an opportunity for Sarawak to diversify its market into the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to facilitate business networking, and also to introduce a variety of eco-tourism products.”

On another subject, Abdul Karim said the state government had enforced Sarawak Heritage Ordinance 2019 effective on March 1 this year – meant to protect, preserve, conserve and manage the state’s heritage assets more efficiently.

He said in comparison to the previous Sarawak Cultural Heritage Ordinance 1993, the new Ordinance had a wider scope to include ‘underwater heritage’, ‘intangible cultural heritage’ and the establishment of ‘Sarawak Heritage Council’.

The ‘Sarawak Heritage Trust Fund’ had also been set up under the new Ordinance meant for the preservation and conversation works on the state’s heritage, he added.